The WoW Classic Release date is August 27th, with the beta starting May 15th!
Beta Details
The WoW Classic Beta will let you create and level up characters, as well as participate in server stress tests. The developers are keenly interested in all types of feedback, maintaining fidelity to the original game, and have implemented a new bug report system to make submitting feedback easier.
Beta invites seem pretty limited, so make sure that you have opted in for potential beta invites on Battle.net.
Beta Opt-In
When you’re logged in to http://account.blizzard.com/games, click on Games and Subscriptions. Scrolling down will bring up a prompt to “Go to Beta Profile Settings.” Click on that, and then make sure WoW and WoW Classic are checked. You can also go to www.wowclassic.com.
WoW Classic Overview
Heralding the game’s 15th anniversary, World of Warcraft® Classic invites players to experience Blizzard Entertainment’s seminal massively multiplayer online role-playing game as it was during its earliest days.
This faithful, authentic recreation captures the danger, excitement, and glory of the original World of Warcraft, and invites players to relive some of the adventures and moments that defined its legacy.
On August 27, veterans and newcomers will be able to relive World of Warcraft’s epic origins as they assemble a 40-player raid to take on the fiery hazards of Molten Core; fight for their faction in the ongoing world PvP struggle between Southshore and Tarren Mill; muster a realm-wide war effort to open the gates of Ahn’Qiraj; and much more.
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RELIVE AN ERA LOST TO LEGEND – Return to Azeroth as it was during the Drums of War update (patch 1.12), which represents the original WoW® at its most content-complete.
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PHASED CONTENT ROLLOUT – Following its launch, World of Warcraft Classic’s content will be released over the course of multiple phases reflecting the game’s original order. Re-experience WoW history unfolding as heroes gear up for Blackwing Lair; players battle for PvP Honor and Rank rewards; and entire realms band together to open the gates of Ahn’Qiraj.
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INCLUDED WITH EXISTING WOW SUBSCRIPTIONS – Anyone who subscribes to World of Warcraft can play WoW Classic at no additional cost. Explore the far corners of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms before and after the world-shattering events that changed Azeroth forever.
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CLOSED BETA TEST & STRESS TESTS – Starting May 15, select WoW players will be invited to participate in a small-scale, focused closed beta test, helping ensure WoW Classic nails its goal of authenticity. Players will also get a chance to help put our servers and technology through the paces in a series of stress tests from May through July—opt in now at
www.wowclassic.com.
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CLASSIC GAMEPLAY WITH TODAY’S CONVENIENCES – Experience the authentic gameplay of 2006 built on the infrastructure of WoW today, with server technology providing a smooth and stable experience; support for modern PC hardware; and access to Blizzard Battle.net’s social features.
Content Release Schedule
WoW Classic releases on August 27th, and while we don’t know the full content release schedule, we asked a few questions as to the future at our WoW Classic interview.
On August 27th, Phase 1 content will unlock, including Molten Core, Onyxia, and launch dungeons. However, we won’t know the release dates for Phase 2 through 6 before the launch of WoW Classic—and when they are revealed, it will be one-by-one, based on the community’s interest and readiness for the next patch.
Battle for Azeroth and Classic patches will likely not land on the same day, similar to Blizzard staggering other major game updates across the network.
For more information, head over to Wowhead.
